


passed down like folk songs

by saiditallbefore



Category: Star Wars: Princess Leia (Comics)
Genre: Alderaanian Diaspora (Star Wars), F/F, Grief/Mourning, Life Day (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Traditions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:21:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27946706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saiditallbefore/pseuds/saiditallbefore
Summary: Life Day was not an Alderaanian holiday.Leia and Evaan celebrate Life Day, mourn what has been lost, and look to the future.
Relationships: Leia Organa/Evaan Verlaine
Comments: 6
Kudos: 7
Collections: Star Wars Rare Pairs 2020





	passed down like folk songs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Skyrissian (ErinacchiLove)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErinacchiLove/gifts).



Life Day was not an Alderaanian holiday. 

Leia knew this, perhaps more intimately than most. She’d celebrated Life Day on Kashyyyk, where it had originated— had exchanged gifts with her friends and had journeyed to the sacred Tree of Life with them. But that had only served to make her more homesick for her own people’s— her own _family’s_ — Life Day traditions.

Luke understood— up to a point. But he could still return to Tattooine, could still visit the moisture farm where he'd grown up, even if his aunt and uncle were no longer there to welcome him home. He wouldn’t, of course; he was joining Chewbacca on Kashyyyk again this year. But the choice was there.

Leia had planned to join them, too— until she’d received an invitation from Evaan to join the Alderaanian conclave on Espirion. Listening to that message, Leia had been struck again by the longing that sometimes receded but never truly left her.

She wanted to go _home_.

* * *

Evaan greeted Leia at the spaceport— as soon as Leia exited the little transport she’d flown in on, Evaan was right there, a broad smile on her face.

“Princess! It’s good to see you!” 

As soon as her feet were firmly on the ground, Leia embraced her friend. “I’ve told you before,” she said. “We’re friends— call me Leia.”

Evaan stepped back, her hands still on Leia’s shoulders. “I didn’t want to presume.”

“Please, presume,” Leia said, still smiling.

Evaan told her a few stories about the Alderaanians they both knew on Espirion— about Tace’s latest musical composition, about Pareece’s new club opening, about Chief Beonel’s propositions for a permanent home for the Alderaanian people. Leia listened intently as she followed Evaan through the streets of Espirion, past the blinding white towers that made up the capital city.

It was nothing at all like Aldera, which had been decorated with public gardens and surrounded by snow-capped peaks. But it was beautiful, in its own way.

* * *

As a child, Leia’s family had celebrated Life Day quietly. There were other holidays for public galas and festivals, Alderaanian holidays. Life Day was for the Organa family, sharing a meal and exchanging small gifts and lighting candles as they sung old ballads.

Life Day was for hope, even as the shadow of the Empire had loomed ever closer.

* * *

Everyone at this reception wanted to talk to Leia. They always did, but it was different here: these were her people. They looked to her as one of their leaders, as a symbol of the Alderaan they had lost.

It felt like too much to shoulder, sometimes. Still, Leia had been trained as a politician and a diplomat, and this was the very least she owed to her people. She would not complain.

Despite Leia’s best efforts, Evaan must have seen that Leia was flagging. She appeared at Leia’s side, taking her by the elbow, pulling her away from the group that Leia had been listening to with as much patience as she could muster.

“I need the Princess for a few minutes,” Evaan told them. She pulled Leia into a deserted side room and closed the door, blocking out the rest of the world. Through the window, Leia could see that the sun was setting, streaking Espirion’s dark blue sky with bright colors.

“You didn’t need to do that,” Leia said. “I talk to people for a living, you know.”

Evaan touched a hand to Leia’s shoulder. “You’re on vacation. They should give you a break.”

“I don’t mind,” Leia protested, but even _she_ could tell that she sounded tired.

“Someone has to look out for you,” Evaan said, smiling. A beam of light from the setting sun hit her just right, reflecting off her golden hair. “I know you won’t do it yourself.”

Leia had heard similar sentiments from every one of her friends on at least one occasion, but it was touching to hear it from Evaan. She took Evaan’s hand in hers, squeezing it gently.

“Thank you.”

* * *

The morning of Life Day was bright and clear, and Leia woke to the smell of something baking. She dressed quickly, twisting her hair up into its usual buns, and ventured out into the kitchen of Evaan’s apartment.

Evaan, her hair down and surrounded by dirty bowls and measuring cups, only glanced up at Leia. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“I’m an early riser,” Leia said. “What smells so good?”

“I’m making spicebread,” Evaan said. “My grandmother used to…” She trailed off, and cleared her throat. “My grandmother used to make it every year.”

Leia placed a hand on Evaan’s, offering her what support she could. 

“I got the recipe from Jora,” Evaan continued. “It won’t be the same, but…”

In other company, Leia might have told her that the only thing they could do was to keep looking forward, or that Alderaan still lived on in all of them. She believed those things with all of her heart— she truly did.

But Evaan was one of the few people she could be vulnerable with. “We never had spicebread,” Leia said. “But Mom used to always have the kitchen make custard bread.” She smiled sadly. “That was always one of my favorites.”

The words hung in the air between them, as they both felt the enormity of their loss crash down on them. 

Evaan turned her hand over, palm-up, and squeezed Leia’s hand.

* * *

Leia sat next to Evaan on the settee. The wine and spicebread were spread on the low table before them, next to a few mismatched candles and a piece of wood to represent the Tree of Life. 

It was nothing like the solemn celebration Leia had attended on Kashyyyk, or the lavish spreads of her childhood, but there was something beautiful about it just the same. 

“Oh!” Leia set her glass down with a clatter. “I almost forgot!” She hurried to her guest room and pulled Evaan’s gift out of her bag. 

“You didn’t—” Evaan began, when she saw the package in Leia’s hands.

“It’s a tradition,” Leia said. “I’m not breaking this one.”

Evaan laughed, and she pulled a package of her own from somewhere next to her. She and Leia traded gifts and began to unwrap them.

Leia paused in her own unwrapping to watch Evaan. Evaan tore through the patterned paper with no hesitation and opened the box underneath, her face lighting up when she saw what was inside: a necklace with a pendant fashioned to look like an Alderaanian starblossom.

“It’s beautiful,” she said. Leia pretended she didn’t hear Evaan’s voice cracking with emotion.

Leia turned back to her own gift. She was more careful with the paper than Evaan was— partially out of habit, and partially because she could tell Evaan was growing impatient. But when she finally opened the package, she gasped with delight: it was a set of hairpins, with stylized images of Appenza Peak on them.

“I see we had the same idea,” Leia said. 

Evaan held up her wine glass in a silent toast. Leia picked her glass back up and gently clinked it against Evaan’s.

“Time to light the candles?” Evaan asked.

Leia leaned against her, nudging Evaan with her shoulder. “We’re supposed to sing first!”

“I’m really not much of a singer,” Evaan replied.

“Oh, come on.” Leia turned to look at Evaan, only to realize how close the two of them were now sitting. From here, she could see every freckle on Evaan’s face.

She tore her eyes away, taking another drink of her wine. “At least a verse of Crossroad Worries?” The ballad wasn’t about Life Day in particular, but it was an old favorite among Alderaanians; Leia’s father had had a particular soft spot for it.

Evaan smiled slightly. “Alright.” 

Evaan’s voice was a bit shaky, but though she didn’t always hit the right notes, she was usually in the right neighborhood. Leia didn’t mind; her own voice was practiced and steady, and there was something intimate about the two of them singing together like this.

When they reached the end of the ballad— the tragic ending where the two lovers are separated for good— Leia couldn’t help but look over at Evaan. There were unshed tears hanging in her eyes, and Leia didn’t think it was just because of the song.

Maybe it was the wine, or the intimacy of the moment. Or maybe it was just that Leia had always been an impetuous person. But that was the moment when she leaned over to Evaan and kissed her.

Evaan reacted immediately, deepening the kiss. Leia ran her hands through Evaan’s hair, thankful that it was still loose, and Evaan leaned further into Leia’s space.

They broke apart, a little breathless, and Evaan leaned her forehead against Leia’s. 

“We still need to light the candles,” Leia said.

Evaan laughed.

As Evaan moved to light the candles, Leia watched her. She didn’t know if there would be a future for them. Even if there was, it would be difficult; their responsibilities would constantly be pulling them in different directions.

But when Evaan curled up on the settee next to Leia and kissed her again, all of her worries temporarily fled. 

Evaan tasted like promises and understanding, like spicebread and wine and celebrations. 

She tasted like _home_.


End file.
